‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley says boxing needs a boost
theGRIO REPORT - 'Sugar' Shane Mosley was right at home at the ESPYS red carpet in Los Angeles. The 41-year-old boxer has had quite the 2013 - punctuated so far by coming out of retirement to defeat a much younger Pablo Cano in May. But boxing is still the center of Mosley's life...
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley was right at home at the ESPYS red carpet in Los Angeles. The 41-year-old boxer has had quite the 2013 – punctuated so far by coming out of retirement to defeat a much younger Pablo Cano in May. Mosley also appeared on BET’s Real Husbands of Hollywood, which he said he hopes leads to other roles.
But boxing is still the center of Mosley’s life. And he told theGrio he thinks his sport needs a boost in popularity.
“It should be more [popular],” Mosley said. “I think we can get more promotion in boxing, more marketing for the young kids so the fans can connect with these fighters coming up. That way, it won’t be just a couple fighters making money like myself.”
When Mosley defeated Cano in May, it was an uphill battle. Challenged but never finished off, Mosley earned the respect of many boxing critics. He hadn’t won a fight in four years.
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It was redemption for Mosley but he admits his sport is still suffering. George Foreman told theGrio in June that boxing’s heavyweight class is lacking in the personality department.
Mosley agrees.
“There’s a lack of personality in the sport,” Mosley said. “But, there’s a lack of media pulling that personality out of the fighters. So these promoters need to grab some of the media people to pull it out of them. It’s there – it’s just not being pulled out of them.”
Earlier this year, Mosley made quick work of Real Husbands star Kevin Hart’s character in the boxing ring. It was a three-round bout for charity and Mosley said it was an easy decision to join the show.
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He said it was even easier working with Hart on the set.
“I’ve been knowing Kevin Hart before he blew up and became ‘Kevin Hart,'” Mosley said. “When he made it, I was just happy for him and then he’s transitioned to acting very well. He acts very well.”
Follow theGrio’s Todd Johnson on Twitter @rantoddj
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